Chapter 10 · Untitled Chapter

"Marcus, stop—" Reina's ward snapped up half a second before my fingers closed around her throat.

Not my fingers. Shadow's.

The second strike cracked against the barrier. Blue light burst across the room. Reina staggered back, blood running from her nose.

"Fight it," she gasped. Her blade came up. "Marcus, I know you're in there—"

My body lunged.

Danny hit me from the side. We slammed into the floor. Burnt leather and cheap soap filled my nose while his arm locked around my neck.

"Get off him!" Reina shouted.

"He's gonna kill you!" Danny yelled. "Sir, I know you can hear me!"

Shadow laughed with my voice.

"The boy's braver than you thought," my mouth said. "Pity."

My left hand snapped back and caught Danny across the jaw. He let go with a strangled cry. I rolled onto my knees.

Shadow hauled me upright like a puppet.

Reina's blade stopped an inch from my face.

"Do it," Shadow said through my teeth. "You want to. I can feel it."

Her hand shook. The blade nicked my cheek.

I felt the sting. The blood. Nothing below my neck belonged to me.

"Reina," I forced out.

Her eyes widened.

My voice. Mine.